18 January – Human Rights, China and the Chinese Government

Ten years ago, the Chinese economy was less than half the size it is today. Despite China’s skyrocketing economy, it remains a one-party authoritarian state that systemically curbs fundamental rights. Since President Xi Jinping assumed power in 2013, the Chinese government has arbitrarily detained and prosecuted hundreds of activists and human rights lawyers and defenders. It has tightened control over nongovernmental organizations, activists, media, and the internet through a slew of new laws that cast activism and peaceful criticism as state security threats.

For our first lecture of the semester, Måns Molander will disciss Human Rights situation in China, with a focus on issues that Human Rights Watch has exposed in recent research, such as surveillence, unlawful detentions, discrimination and torture. It will also cover the consistent and often aggressive Chinese efforts to silence criticism of its human rights record before UN bodies.

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Måns Molander is the Sweden and Denmark Director of Human Rights Watch. Prior to joining Human Rights Watch, Måns was the Head of the Human Rights Section at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, responsible for coordinating human rights in Swedish foreign policy. Måns has 17 years of experience in governmental affairs, specialising in peace and security, EU affairs and human rights, including diplomatic postings at the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations in Geneva and the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Måns holds a L.L.M. from Uppsala University and the University of Strasbourg.